our white house correspondent brianna keilar maybe with a little bit of news which is pathetic because it's talks within the democratic party, but at least they are talking. >> reporter: that's right. is it really news that democrats are talking? that's all the news we have to report as of today. i know i feel a little bit like a grinch reporting this, but the white house is in talks with senate democrats. that's not really surprising as we look to the senate to be the next -- really the next ones to act on this when they reconvene on the 27th. right now it's really up to senate majority leader harry reid to try to cobble something together that can get some republican support in the senate and the house to avoid the fiscal cliff. we are one week away from it, as you mentioned, and republicans are not even part of the discussions, both in the senate and in the house, and at this point they are certainly maybe having a working christmas. senate democrats and republicans, but i think it's interesting just to kind of recap what's going on here. before president obama and house speaker joh